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Modification of Old Electrical Work
Electrical and building codes have changed over time and new methods proscribed for safety. Converting the old to the new leads to lots of questions.
4,592 Questions
Can you pigtail grounds in a panel in order to prevent double lugging on the neutral bus.?
The ground wires should not be terminated on the neutral bus. They should be terminated on to the ground bus which should be located on the back wall of the distribution panel. The wires don't have to be pigtailed when inserted into the ground bus. More that one wire can go under the terminal screws if you are running out of room. Shut the panel off and remove any ground wires that are now under the neutral bus terminals and move them to the ground bus. Some panels use a lug for a ground bus. All ground wires into the lug and tighten. In a ground fault condition it is the ground wires that are connected to the ground potential that trip the breaker, not ground wires connected to neutrals. Be safe.
How many light fixtures can you put on a 20 amp circuit?
Asking how many lights can go on a branch circuit for lights is like asking "How long is a piece of string?". It is impossible to give a general answer because the total number of lights that can be installed will depend on the wattage and amperage drawn by each light and on whether or not they will all be switched on together at the same times of day or night.
If you cannot work out the total amperage of the lights you want to use at any time, compared to the safe load current of the circuit breaker on your lighting circuit, the best advice anyone should give you is to call a licensed electrician for advice.
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As always, if you are in doubt about what to do, the best advice anyone should give you is to call a licensed electrician to advise what work is needed.
Before you do any work yourself,
on electrical circuits, equipment or appliances,
always use a test meter to ensure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.
IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOB
SAFELY AND COMPETENTLY
REFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.
The electrical outlets in your home are wired in?
series, where the current flows sequentially through each outlet. If one outlet fails, it can disrupt the flow of electricity to all the outlets connected in the circuit. This type of wiring is not commonly used in homes due to the risk of overloading and potential safety hazards.
How many amps are 1720 watts at 120 volts?
The formula you are looking for is I =W/E. Or Amps = Watts/Volts.
Does the electrical wall outlet half to be same hook up as hook up at box?
To ensure proper installation and safety, the electrical wall outlet should have the same hook-up as the wiring in the electrical box. It is important to follow local electrical codes and guidelines, and if you are unsure, it is recommended to consult a licensed electrician.
Connect the white and black wires back on to where the other black and white wires connected. There should also be a green pigtail coming out of the fixture which will be the ground. If it has a chain, then the wire running through the chain will be the ground wire.
What is the maximum amp can a 15amp circuit take on?
In theory it should be able to take 15 amps indefinitely. In actual practice, however, you end up getting what is called 'nuisance tripping' as you approach 15 amps. This may be caused by many things including ambient temperature (temperature of the environment around it) or heat generated by adjacent breakers etc. So the code limits any planned load to 80% of the rating, or 12 amps in this case.
You have some serious wiring problems, for sure. My first guess is that your grounding conductor and neutral are touching somewhere and your ground is acting as the neutral when the neutral is disconnected.
The light coming on when the hair dryer is used is another mystery.
You need to hire a competent electrician to trouble shoot these problems.
Can you change a light switch to toggle switch outlet?
You can if you have a neutral wire present. If the existing switch is what is called a "switch loop" then you can not change the existing switch to a switched outlet. You can identify a switch loop by looking at the wires coming into the switch bow. If there are only one set of wires usually a black and white and they go directly to the switch then you have a switch loop
Is an outlet a source of electricity?
No, an outlet is only a distribution point.
A source of electrical energy would be the generation station, wind generator, photovoltaic cells (solar energy panels) or other devices that actually produce electrical energy by changing energy from one type (chemical, solar...) to another.
How many amps can a number six wire hold?
A number six wire, also known as 6 AWG wire, can typically hold around 55-65 amps of current, depending on the insulation type and installation conditions. It is important to follow local electrical codes and consult with a qualified electrician to ensure proper sizing and safety.
What gauge wire do you need for a 280 foot run to supply your barn from your house panel?
Without knowing what you are planning as far as load (lights,welder, refrigerator, AC,power tools) I would run #3 copper for the ungrounded legs, #6 copper for the grounded conductor(neutral) and #8 copper for the grounding conductor. This would would be on a 100 amp breaker.
How many watts is equal to 4.3 amps at 230 volts?
In normal simple circuits WATTS = VOLTS x AMPS
So if you use a 12V car battery 4 amps is 48 Watts
American 110V mains 4 amps = 440 Watts
English 240V mains 4 amps = 960 Watts
What kind of circuit breaker should you use with aluminum wire?
For aluminum wire, it is recommended to use circuit breakers specified for use with aluminum wiring. These breakers have special features to mitigate the risk of overheating or fire that can be associated with aluminum wiring. Consult with a qualified electrician or local building codes for specific recommendations.
How do you install a chandelier with 2 no color wires and the ceiling has red white and black?
If the situation is exactly as you described it, you call a licensed electrician! I'm totally serious.
As you describe the situation, you have 220 wiring from the ceiling, and a 110V chandelier. Get an electrician to sort that one out!
How do you get the hertz of a circuit breaker 200 amps?
All North American utility suppliers are set up for 60 Hz. As such, all breakers are designed for 60 Hz operation.
Although European electricity is 50 Hz, North American breakers would no doubt function well.
It is highly recommended that you employ the services of a qualified electrician for installation or modification of any electrical service.
Is it possible to use a GFCI outlet in place of an older two-wire outlet?
Answer for USA, Canada and countries running a 60 Hz supply service.
Your question is, "Is it possible?" And yes, it is. It would work just fine as a 2 wire outlet. It will even provide GFCI protection, contrary to what many people believe.
However, it is a violation of code and highly ill advised to do so. Code requires that when replacing any 2 wire outlet that it be upgraded to a 3 wire circuit. I know hardware stores still sell 2 wire outlets but that is beside the point. The third wire, the ground wire, is there for your protection, or it should be installed. There is no way to properly install a 3 wire outlet, GFCI or not, on a 2 wire circuit.
The national Electric Code allows the replacement of two wire receptacles with three wire GFCI outlets refer to NEC section 406.4 for more clarity on the subject.
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As always, if you are in doubt about what to do, the best advice anyone should give you is to call a licensed electrician to advise what work is needed.
Before you do any work yourself,
on electrical circuits, equipment or appliances,
always use a test meter to ensure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.
IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOB
SAFELY AND COMPETENTLY
REFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.
What size wire is needed to run a 75 amp 240 volt circuit with 100 ft run?
For a 75 amp circuit with a 100 ft run, you would need a #4 AWG copper wire to ensure minimal voltage drop and to meet electrical code requirements. Using the correct wire size helps maintain the efficiency and safety of the circuit.
What gauge wire and amp breaker do you use on a stove dryer and hot water heater?
For a stove, use a 8 or 6 gauge wire with a 40 to 50 amp breaker. For a dryer, use a 10 or 8 gauge wire with a 30 amp breaker. For a hot water heater, use a 10 or 8 gauge wire with a 30 or 40 amp breaker. Be sure to consult local electrical codes and guidelines for specific requirements.
Connect the incoming power to the line side of the GFCi outlet. Now run another wire connected to the line side of the GFCI outlet from the GFCI outlet to the switches. Power one of the switches and use that switch to turn on the 2 lights. Run power from that switch to another switch and use that switch to send power to the fan. Mount both switches in a double pole switch box. If the light above the sink has an outlet on it then you will have to connect power going to that light on the load side of the GFCI outlet. If not then just connect it to the line side.
Yes, you can do this, but there are a few rules to follow. The white wire(neutral) should be solidly made at all device boxes in other words do not use the receptacle terminals, make all the joints solid and pigtail to the receptacle. The breakers need to be adjacent to each other in the panel, side by side on opposite buss bars. If you put them on the same buss you will overload the neutral. Use a handle tie on the breakers.
I am sorry. It was the wrong question. The question really should have been: Can you wire two separate 20 amp circuits using one single romex 12-3 w/ground. Each circuit would have it's own 20 amp breaker. The Red wire would be landed on one breaker. The Black wire would be landed on another breaker. Only one #12 white wire would be available for neutral. My theory is: If you were to load both circuits to say 19 amps each, you would have 38 amps being used. The problem lies in the single white neutral's ability to handle 38 amps on it's own. Wouldn't this be a problem? Would this configuration pass in spection? You can do this with 12/3, you still have to make up your neutrals at device boxes. the neutral would not have to handle 38 amps as long as you use opposite 110volt buss. the current on the neutral if both breakers were drawing 16 amps each would be "0". The neutral only has to carry the imbalance of the two circuits. If one breaker draws 16 amps and the other 8 the current on the neutral would be 8 amps. Breakers have to be on opposite buss! for this to work. Yes, it should pass inspection.
If you're ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN that the breaker is off... no problem. Cut them all at once if you like.
However, just as many people have been shot with an "unloaded gun", many people have been electrocuted by a circuit that was shut off.
If you use lineman pliers that have an insulated handle, (don't touch the metal part) and the somehow the breaker DIDN'T get shut off, you'll be startled, the lineman pliers will be destroyed and there will be a puff of smoke to let you know that it was the"other" breaker.
As always, if you don't know exactly what you're doing, hire a professional.
What are the standard size disconnects safety switch up to 600 amps?
The standard sizes for disconnect safety switches up to 600 amps are typically available in 30A, 60A, 100A, 200A, 400A, and 600A options. These sizes cover a range of applications from residential to industrial settings, providing appropriate levels of power protection and safety. It is important to select the correct size based on the specific electrical requirements of the equipment or machinery being connected.
Why is the earth pin in 3 plug the longest and thickest?
The term "earth pin" is generally a European term but in the US, the ground prong (same thing) is required to be "first make/last break." It must the the first terminal to make connection in the receptacle and the last terminal to break connection. The thickness is probably because the ground prong is often removed, either on purpose or by misuse.
In a very real sense, a "ground fault" cannot come from the neutral side, since, if your wiring is performing as designed, there should be little potential between the neutral and ground. A ground fault is said to occur when the current OUT, through the "hot" side is not equal to the current BACK, through the neutral, meaning that current is leaking to somewhere else... such as through your body.
Having said all that, it is certainly possible that you could cause a GFCI to trip by introducing current to the neutral from a circuit that does not go through the GFCI breaker; but that would involve non-standard wiring practices.
